Designing the costumes for Strictly Ballroom the musical

As with most Baz Luhrmann films, his 1990s spectacle Strictly Ballroom was visually stunning with the glitter and glamour of ballroom-dancing swirling on screen as the actors waltzed, tangoed and jived across the set.

Strictly Ballroom has risen again, this time as a musical.

It features the trademark feathers, sequins and lycra of costume designer Catherine Martin who created the original costumes for the film. She is an award winning designer and is Luhrmann’s wife and collaborator. This year alone, she took home two BAAFTAS for costume and production design as well as two Oscars for The Great Gatsby. In fact, now she’s won the most Oscars of any Australian.

So how has she adapted the costumes from the film of Strictly Ballroom onto the stage?